CFTC to Host Cryptocurrency CEO Forum to Discuss Digital Asset Market Pilot Program

February 15: NYDIG Research Director Greg Cipolaro has flagged a sentiment divergence between U.S. institutional investors and offshore traders in the Bitcoin market. Currently, the annualized basis of CME Bitcoin futures outpaces that of offshore exchange Deribit—signaling U.S. hedge funds and other institutions still opt to pay a premium to hold long positions, while leveraged long interest in the offshore market has dropped sharply. On prior market rumors that a "quantum computing threat" pushed Bitcoin to $60,000, NYDIG says data debunks this logic: - Bitcoin’s recent trend has correlated **positively** with quantum computing-linked stocks (IONQ, D-Wave), not inversely. If quantum computing posed a targeted threat, those stocks should rise when Bitcoin falls—but their synchronized decline reflects a broad pullback in risk appetite for long-term growth assets. - Google Trends data shows related search volume spikes usually coincide with Bitcoin price gains, not drops—sugge

February 15 Binance’s He Yi has clarified that former employee Chase is a Business Development (BD) associate—not a listing manager—contrary to Chase’s self-identification in a recent viral interview. Key details from He Yi: - Binance’s listing team (responsible for project analysis and due diligence/DD) does not communicate directly with project teams. - Contract terms are handled by BD teams, but BD associates lack decision-making power. - Listing and BD are separate teams with distinct reporting lines; BD connects with numerous projects to support the pipeline. Chase’s prior claims (in the interview): - The Binance listing team has over a dozen members, with only 4 (including him) engaging externally with projects. - He reviewed over 1,000 crypto projects in his 2.5 years at Binance. - By 2025, he helped ~100 projects (including Alpha) list on Binance. - Roughly 5-10% of projects move forward to listing after initial communication with founders. He Yi added:

Fidelity Global Macro Director Jurrien Timmer said in an X (formerly Twitter) post that Bitcoin recently dipped to $60,000 — hitting a support level he forecast months ago. He noted the bear market bottom may have formed, positioning the crypto to launch a new expansion phase. As Bitcoin matures, Timmer added, volatility should gradually ease; a new bull market cycle is likely to kick off after several months of consolidation, potentially leading to a fresh all-time high. Timmer’s chart analysis links Bitcoin’s price to global money supply, identifying $60,000 as a key technical support. A separate “Bitcoin’s Road to Maturity” chart maps its historical cycles: from early $2 levels to $24, then breaking the $64,000 peak — and pointing to a projected sixth wave target of $290,425. This model integrates price curves and macro variables, laying out a framework for a long-term push toward $1 million. He emphasized that if the cyclical pattern holds and the trend remains intact, Bit

On February 15th, addressing a community-discussed topic—“Will X Let Users Trade Stocks and Crypto Directly via Its Timeline?”—X Product Lead and Solana advisor Nikita Bier clarified that X will not handle trade execution or act as a broker; it is only building financial data tools and connections. In a prior update, Bier noted that X (Elon Musk’s platform) will launch its new stock and cryptocurrency trading feature in the coming weeks. Analysts say Bier’s clarification will help X avoid the regulatory hurdles it faced while transitioning to a “super app.”

February 15 — Former President Barack Obama addressed a racially discriminatory video depicting him as a monkey for the first time in a podcast appearance, saying the “shame” and “civility” that once constrained U.S. public officials have “completely vanished.” Obama did not name former President Donald Trump directly, but he argued the White House’s handling of the incident will backfire on the Republican Party in the 2026 midterm elections. Earlier, the video was posted to Trump’s social media account. The White House claimed the post was a staffer error and has since been deleted.

February 15 — JPMorgan Chase is recruiting a Software Engineer for its Blockchain and Tokenization Team. Key responsibilities include: - Developing the engineering roadmap for blockchain infrastructure, tokenization platforms, and digital asset services - Evaluating and integrating blockchain protocols (Ethereum, Polygon, Hyperledger, Canton, and more) aligned with product requirements - Participating in the design, architecture, and implementation of blockchain-based solutions to ensure security, scalability, and compliance with applicable regulations